Limestone underlies about
half of the island of Ireland. Outside of the main caving areas most of that
limestone is deeply buried under glacial deposits so these areas do not exhibit
karst features.

There is evidence of
ancient karst features buried deep under the glacial deposits. Furthermore,
there are areas scattered all around the country where the limestone is at
or near the surface and cave development has occured.

The Cong area (Counties
Galway and Mayo) is a low-lying area with some spectacular karst development
and where all of the drainage of the Lough Mask catchment discharges via underground
routes. A few caves are known but it is an area deserving of more attention.

Elsewhere in County
Galway, the Gort lowlands, which adjoin the Burren, has numerous large sinks
and risings and many turloughs. There are few known accessible caves but some
major cave dives have been undertaken.

County Mayo also has
the Aille River Cave - one of Ireland's largest underground rivers.

The Mitchelstown Caves
are actually in Co. Tipperary - not in nearby Co. Cork where the town
of the same name is located. There are three principle caves - the historic
Desmond Cave, the New Cave (now a showcave) and Pollskeheenarinky.

County Antrim
has recently yielded Ireland's first major chalk cave. There are minor caves
dotted around the midlands and around counties such as Waterford. Co. Kilkenny
includes the impressive Dunmore showcave; a National Monument.

>Guidebooks

For
all these areas, the only book available is J. C. Coleman's "The Caves of Ireland"
Other publications, principally Irish Speleology, will provide more information.